1 A Steele in Carmel
by SteeleHere44
Summary: Story 1. It's Season 1. Laura and Mr. Steele. A case outside LA. The beach, a nice hotel, no Mildred yet...
1. Chapter 1

A STEELE IN CARMEL

Disclaimer:

Remington Steele and its characters are owned by MTM. No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

Set after Season 4. Bonds of Steele and Season 5 are not in my universe

Chapter 1:

It would be definitely, an interesting week. The call, right before the end of the workday, was unexpected and drove a lot of thrilling but not entirely happy feelings into her.

"…We are going on a trip to Carmel. A sudden case requires our presence there for the rest of the week. Just be ready at 5.00am. Fred will pick us up, and we'll be developing strategies during the trip. Bikinis and tank tops must be your day's attire. Warm days, daiquiris and a beach experience await. I'll let you guess what you should bring for the night. That's up to you…" Then, the line went off. She was not able even to say a word after "Hello…"

Creep! What does he think he is doing? He's not the boss. He doesn't own the agency. He doesn't even drive our cases. The only thing he's committed to is to put all of us under a terrifying tension every time he makes a move. And such a move was this one. Traitor! Who'd guess he was going to do that to Laura Holt, who'd think he was going to do that to Remington Steele! How dare him!

But he was going to have his punishment. A hard and painful punishment. Her mind started to work in overdrive. The annoying fictional boss was going to be hitched in his own web, with his own treacherous tricks.

She started the ending daily routine, stashing solved cases on his desk just to be signed, getting everything ready for the next morning… The next morning: it was going to be a difficult one. She took the agency gun and put it in her purse. Bullets weren't often in it, but she didn't bother to look for them. She turned off the lights of his office and went to her desk.

Maybe a stroll around Ted's would be a good idea. A shot of tequila would help her to plot her devious plan. Grabbing her purse, she closed the door of Remington Steele Investigations, put the key into it, and started her way to the Pub.

The short detour ended with a bit more tequila than what it was prudent to a Monday night. But the happy hour was just starting when she arrived, and one thing led to another. When she looked at her watch, she noticed it was really late. And she wasn't keeping her alcohol like a pro. Time to go home, she thought.

Yet, luck was on her side, because she'd driven to a bar near her final destination. No need for a cab to get home. Only a few steps; then turn the corner and she was there. Just the searching for the door key in her purse turned out to be a very complicated task. Not to mention putting it into the lock. If only she 'd just have a little knowledge about that easy thing of picking locks, or opening doors without the need of a key… but that was his specialty.

After some difficulty, she got finally into the house. Standing right there for a moment, leaning on the back of the door just to reset herself, she turned on the lights, and with a dizzy step, walked herself to the bedroom to start the packing.

T-shirts, shorts, undergarments, sandals, toiletries,…bikinis…Taking a look at the suitcase on the bed, with the attire he'd suggested, she couldn't stop the repeating of the phone call in her mind. The man was unbelievable!

"Maybe I could fake an illness, and stay out of the situation," she thought. But knowing him, he would make a counterattack, and it would be worse for everyone. The guy has such a nerve!

Once the last items were packed, she closed the suitcase and made an exhaustive review of her next moves. She had all settled in her mind. The plan would start in the limo, right at the moment he'll try his first approach. Right now, the pillow was the best friend to connect the dots and seal the strategies. Without thinking, she tumbled onto the bed and fell asleep in an instant.

She awoke the next morning at the sound of the alarm, a headache hammering her head. She turned off the torture device, and got out of the bed, or tried to. The suitcase stashed on the floor, was on her way to the bathroom. It reminded her of the ugly moments that were waiting for her.

Once she was presentable, and her baggage was ready, and near the front door, she poured a cup of coffee, and sat down on the couch. Fury was the new feeling. In the middle of her reverie, she was startled by the doorbell.

"OK. It's time," she said to herself. She stood up, put the cup in the sink, collected her belongings, and started her way to her target.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon. She made her way to the limo, and there he was, standing outside the car in his entire splendor, looking great as always. A huge grin on his face.

"Good morning," he said, putting his hand on the handle to open the door for her, staring at her all the while.

"Hello," she coldly answered, giving the suitcase to Fred to put in the trunk.

"I never thought you'd dare to do this," she told him.

"I allow myself to do a great many things you'd think are dangerous," he responded. "Even including the Agency staff," he added. And opening the car door, he gestured to her to get into the limo.

She did that, and just when she was sitting down, ready to start with her plan, she heard a voice from the front seat:

"Good morning Bernice!" said Laura, without taking her eyes off of the file she was reading. "I can't believe he was ready that early," she added.

At that very moment, Bernice started to realize what was happening.

"Did you receive the message about the attire we'd need?" asked Laura, while Mr. Steele accommodated himself beside Bernice, giving her a gaze full of curiosity.

"We have to be working undercover at the beach until Friday, while Mr. Steele plays his role at the hotel. There have been a series of thefts in the rooms, while the guests are out, and we are trying to find if there is a connection between the surf instructor and the hotel staff, because the thefts happened while the clients were having their surfing lessons."

"I'd never guess you would be taking me on fieldwork with you two," said Bernice, readjusting herself in an attempt to hide her own bewildered surprise.

"Well," said Laura, "two girls on the beach in California, taking surfing lessons from a handsome surfer…I wouldn't call that work, exactly, Bernice. I thought you'd agree."

"You know I absolutely agree. But I'm just curious, why did you let him make the call? "

"Oh, that… We met Mr. Benson at Malibu beach. I was trying to maintain a professional conversation with the client, and Mr. Steele was being awfully distracted with the bikinis at the beach. Realizing it was going to be a bit "awkward" if he'd have to answer a question or make a suggestion to Mr. Benson, I suggested him to go the limo and make the arrangements to the trip with you."

"And what about Murphy? And the Agency?"

"Murphy will deal with the paperwork and background investigations." She looked back through the rearview mirror acknowledging Mr. Steele's reaction to her next words. "We need someone "responsible" to be the front of Remington Steele Investigations, while we are out." She wanted him to feel a bit underrated on purpose.

"So, how are we going to play this one?" asked Bernice

"That Touch of Mink?" was Steele's quick answer, "Doris Day, Cary Grant, Universal Pictures, 1962 … A rich businessman and a young woman are attracted to each other, but he only wants an affair while she wants to save her virginity for marriage…" He made an abrupt stop, feeling he was slipping into dangerous territory

"I think the early hour is getting to you, Mr. Steele," Laura told him, giving an amused look back to Bernice.

"On the contrary, Miss Holt, I think the extraordinary effort I've made to be on time in this car, with my loyal associate and our capable secretary, is clearing my mind to put up some new strategies, and to enjoy work with pleasure during this week. I'll play the Cary Grant role… The rich, sophisticated character, as I am already familiar with that," he stated with a smile.

"I can play the Doris Day role then," said Bernice with a wince, just regretting the chastity part. "But only if you promise that I'll catch a rich and handsome guy to have fun with."

Laura took her eyes off of the files for an instant, and with a smile, she turned back and said, "I think I'll play Laura Holt, California girl, PI, undercover."

He leaned forward to the front seat, and with a seductive voice, looking straight into her eyes, said, "Miss Holt, if that implies you wearing a bikini for the rest of the week, I think that's the best role, you can play, indeed."

With that, he returned to his position on the back seat, wearing a satisfied grin, enjoying the moment.

The rest of the trip passed with them reading files and getting involved with the details of the thefts. While Laura and Mr. Steele's mind were immersed in the case and exchanging strategies, Bernice's was on the content of her purse. She had to think of her own strategy: where to hide the agency weapon safely away from the thief's hands, to leave her free to spend the rest of the week on the hunting for the perfect wealthy, handsome businessman that would lay his feet on Carmel's beach.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

They took Highway1 north, right from Santa Monica, and made it all the way up the coast, enlightened by the beauty of the sunrise shining on the ocean to their left.

After the 3-hour car ride and a very productive brainstorming session, they had a plan to follow. It was then when they decided to make a stop in a lovely place, near the Highway. They had some coffee and stretched their legs.

Just an hour before arriving to Carmel, now enjoying the sightseeing, Mr. Steele discovered the road sign to the Hearst Castle. "Ah, Miss Holt," he said, "What a glorious morning would it be if we could make a little stop at the Hearst Castle. A place, full of artworks on its walls …"

"You know about it?" she interrupted him, "Have you been there? Let me guess…you have a friend…"

"Why Miss Holt, are you always trying to find an angle? I was only suggesting that it is a luxury mansion, built by William Randolph Hearst between the 20's and the 50's. An enormous and lavish estate located on top of a high hill with spectacular views. The outdoor Neptune Pool is one of the most famous attractions there." He wriggled his eyebrows at her.

"I am not always trying to find an angle, Mr. Steele" she responded a bit annoyed." You are the one that …Awe ...I don't want to know what indoor attractions you know, or you would want to know there. Just keep your mind strictly focused on the case, for once." With that, she put her eyes on the road and kept herself in a quiet silence until the arrival to their destination.

In the meantime, Bernice had found some answers to the questions that were bothering her. She would leave the gun in the limo, and tell Fred that it was there just in case they'd need it. That would give her the perfect reason for the dangerous impulse that drove her to carry the weapon in her purse, and at the same time, it would be safe from the thieves.

They were not supposed to arrive at the hotel together, so a few blocks away from there, Laura and Bernice got out from the limo and took a cab. Mr. Steele told Fred to make a detour along the coast, to give the ladies enough time to make their check-in, and put their belongings in their bedroom, and of course, for him to enjoy the magnificent view at the beach.

The hotel was beautiful, not the kind of luxury ones that would be in Mr. Steele's selection, but a lovely one. It was simple but elegant. Several white-sided buildings around a charming patio full of flowers. Located at the intersection of Scenic Road and 13th Ave, it would give them a good sight of the beach to follow the case right from their bedrooms.

Fred stopped the limo, and Mr. Steele went directly to the lobby. Mr. Benton was there waiting for him. After a brief exchange, a bellman guided him to his room. He started with the plan, changing clothes, and walking right to the beach. There was a nice restaurant there, its terrace full of umbrellas. His stomach was starting to roar, so he found a table and sat there. Once the waiter brought his order, he relaxed and began to feel better. Life was starting to be kind with him.

Laura and Bernice were already at the beach. They'd left their things at the hotel, put on their bikinis, and disappeared into the sand in a hurry.

They were lying on their towels, sunglasses on, taking a look all over the beach. Laura was in full business mode. She took the opportunity to tell her secretary, "You know, Bernice, when you are looking at a crime scene, you have to start looking from the outer frame to the center of the picture. Don't focus your eyes directly on something particular. Just take in a big shot of the scene, and little by little, start analyzing the surrounding things getting slowly to the central ones."

Bernice looked at her, and putting up her chin, she got up, and responded, "I'm going to look for a good frame to start with." And with that, she began a stroll to select her perfect frame to start.

Laura rolled her eyes, and with a sigh of frustration, she started her own scene study.

She was concentrated on that matter when she heard a male voice speaking to her from behind. "Hello!" said a tall, blonde, tanned guy. "I 'm John, the lifeguard here."

"Hello!" she answered.

"You don't seem to be a local. I haven't seen you before." Where are you from?

"It's my first day here," said Laura. "I arrived with a friend of mine. We're from LA."

"LA? But you have a great beach near there. Why did you come all the way here? Is there somebody here that you want to meet?"

Catching the meaning of the question, she thought that a lifeguard would be an excellent source to add to the case, so she decided to play along. "No, we've just come here to meet new friends and have some fun. "

"Well, maybe we can meet as new friends after I finish work. My shift ends at 5:00pm. Would you like to go for a stroll to the town? There are great places there."

"Okay," said Laura. "I'll be right here. See you then. By the way, I'm Laura."

"See you, Laura." With that, he made his way to the lifeguards' cabin.

In the meantime, Bernice was enjoying her stroll, searching for her best frame, when her eyes were caught by something. There was a shine coming from the wrist of a pretty impressive male specimen approaching directly to her. Good body, middle age, cute attire, brown hair. Pretty interesting. With a touch of glam, and without stopping her steps, she put her sunglasses down on her nose and made eye contact with the man just when they were crossing their paths.

Catching her gesture, he told her, "Bye, beautiful."

"I found the frame," thought Bernice. "Now, let's start the exploration to the center…" Second search: Hand… No ring. No tan line. Perfect! She thought, and with a seductive smile, she asked, "Excuse me, are you from here?"

"No, I'm from NY, but I know the place very well. Have a house here, just up near that dune. "

"Oh, well…Then you should know a good place to have a drink near here. I've been walking for some time, and I'm becoming thirsty."

"Sure," he said. "Let me escort you there." And there they were. Already escaping from the frame, and focusing directly into Bernice's most relevant interests.

Just when he was finishing his lunch, and Mr. Steele was enjoying the last sips of his daiquiri, a woman that had been staring at him for some time, approached to his table.

Without taking off his sunglasses, and rising up his daiquiri, he smiled at her. She stopped beside him and sat down.

"Hello Paul," she told him in a lustful voice, "Nice to see you again." And then he choked. He didn't recognize the woman. But she'd indeed recognized him, and as Paul. Paul Fabrini! He was in trouble. In the middle of a case, with Laura and Bernice floating around, they would surely be able to catch him.

"Hello Darling," he answered, with his best poker face.

Good Lord! It was going to be a week to remember…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Laura remained studying the beach and its surroundings for about 15 minutes. With no signal of Bernice being back, she decided to make her own stroll to the surf point. It was a cabin with a straw roof, a lot of surfboards, wetsuits, and all kinds of gadgets used in the activity. There was a sign hanging over the counter that read, "If you are in Carmel –by- the- Sea, come experience Carmel –in- the- sea." She made her way there to find an instructor and make an appointment to take a class for the next day.

Once the date was settled, she walked along the shore for some time, taking mental pictures of everything going on around her. An old couple reading under an umbrella, children making sand castles, and parents watching them. A group of surfers lying on the sand near their longboards, laughing and having a good time, and another group in the water, ready on their surfboards, only waiting for the opportunity to catch the perfect wave, people walking along the shore, as she was. Everything looked ordinary. Nothing suspicious. Not having idea about Bernice's whereabouts, she started the way back to their belongings. She sat down, trying to figure out where her friend could be. After a while, she felt a little cold. A shadow was covering the sun from her. It was John. Work was over, and he was ready to leave.

They gathered their things, put Bernice's into her bag, and left the beach. John´s buggy was in the parking lot. He started the engine, and they headed towards the town to find a place to eat. Carmel was quite a small village, very easy to walk through quaint buildings, small streets, flowers everywhere; a lot of trees giving the scenery a charming and fresh atmosphere.

They went to a bar that had tables layered outside and sat there.

"What are you going to order?" asked John. "Milkshakes and waffles are the best here."

"I'll order that, then. You are the expert here." And with that, she closed the menu with a smile.

"How long are you going to stay here?"

"Until next week," she answered. "We have to be back to work on Monday. I hope for sunny days for the rest of the week. I signed up for surf lessons for tomorrow. I'm dying to try that. Do you surf?"

"Yes, I love it. The instructor is my friend, actually. Maybe I can make some arrangements to go surfing with you after your class."

"I'd love that!" she said. They spent the rest of the meal talking. John seemed to be a nice guy. And he told her a lot of things about the place and people there that would be interesting to investigate.

As it was getting late, they returned to the hotel and said their goodbyes. Laura went into the lobby, asked for the keys and messages for her, but there was nothing. It was strange. At that point, Mr. Steele would have left something for her about his research of the day. They were supposed to meet at their room at 8:00pm, to fill each other in their respective news. Again, she asked the young man behind the front desk. "No madam," he said. "There's nothing for you."

She made note about the name of the young man. Thomas Benson. He must be Mr. Benson's son. She had told Mr. Benson at their appointment that they were going to be undercover because it would be better if nobody were aware of their real identities. So, the young man didn't know anything about them.

Keys in hand, she walked to her room trying to figure out her two partners' whereabouts.

Bernice was undoubtedly floating into some clouds. She wasn't sure if that was real or if she was in the middle of a pleasant dream. Frank was such a catch! Apart from being simpatico and incredibly handsome, he was an executive. And in addition to that, he seemed to be rich! Just when she noticed that Laura was not at the beach anymore, she realized that she hadn't been working seriously on her task. However, she had been asking a lot of questions to Frank, and she was going to use that to make her report. She was happy that Laura was the boss instead of Mr. Steele. He could read her intentions in a second. She crossed the street, and she was already on the road to her duties. But when she was looking both sides of the street, something familiar caught her eyes. Mr. Steele was on the terrace of the bar at the beach, talking with a woman, with an awkward expression on his face. She continued on her way, thinking how funny it would be if Laura would catch him in that situation instead of working. As always.

When she got into the room, Laura was on the phone. "Yes Murph, please run a search about Thomas Benson. Yes, I'll call you with more information later. Bye. Bernice! Where have you've been? I was starting to worry about you!"

I've been working on the task you gave me," Bernice answered.

"Did you find anything? I've been talking with the lifeguard. He's a nice guy. He says this is a quiet town. Tomorrow, we're going surfing together after my surfing lesson."

"Well, that's a California girl in action…" said Bernice."You know, the boy is not bad looking at all. If you don't want him, you can share him…"

"Ok," said Laura. "Stop it. Put your mind in work mode. What did you find?"

And at that very moment, somebody knocked on the door. "This must be Mr. Steele," said Laura.

When she opened the door, a worried Mr. Steele stormed into the room. "Good afternoon ladies," he said. "Let's start with our reunion."

With that, the meeting started. They exchanged information, compared data and planned the moves for the next day. When Laura asked Mr. Steele for his strategies for Wednesday, he put his mind in overdrive. "I can't tell you anything until tomorrow. My next move depends on what happens in the morning. I'll let you know in the afternoon. I'll leave a message at the front desk."

"Ok," said Laura, a bit suspicious.

They said their goodbyes, and when the two girls were already in bed, just before turning off the light, Bernice told Laura, "You know, this guy I met is really a charming one. I could spend a life beside him, enjoying the sea, the sun, holding a nice drink in my hands…"

"Bernice, how can you say that? You barely know him! How can you think of spending a life with someone that you've known only for a couple of hours?"

"It's easy," answered Bernice, "remember a conversation we had at the office a couple of months ago? Well, I told you then that what I want is a slightly dull, filthy-rich husband. And this man is far exceeding some of those conditions…so…"

"Oh, come on Bernice. Let's try to get some sleep and tomorrow, with some luck, we'll find some clues to our case, and you could follow your romance with the special guy."

"Maybe."

Meanwhile, in the other room, Mr. Steele was trying to figure out how on earth he was going to explain to Laura a situation that even he didn't have the most remote idea of what was it about. He didn't know this lady. He hadn't seen her before. If he had, he would remember her. But she knew his name, or in fact, one of his old ones. He tried to set his mind in Italy, to find this face in the middle of the many mental portraits that his thief life forced him to create, to avoid running into the same uncomfortable situation the following day. Lying on the bed, he began his search. Slumber caught him in the middle of the process.

Breakfast was early, and Bernice and Laura were ready to start the workday at 9:00 o'clock. They made the walk to the beach, and while Laura went to her surf lesson, Bernice kept herself at the surf shop counter, talking with the employee. As she was using her charm, the man was answering all her questions as if being bewitched. Information flew from one side to the other, and once she felt there was nothing else to ask, she returned to the hotel to give Murphy a call. Something sounded off key in this melody. And she wanted to get the wheels rolling, to be free in the evening to continue with her current romance.

Laura was enjoying her surfing ride, as she enjoyed every sport offering a challenge. By the time the lesson ended, she was able to surf small waves with ease. Among having a great time with her, John was also amazed at her abilities.

After a long time in the water, they came out and went to the shop to return the surfboards. Just when they arrived, Thomas Benson was in the middle of a discussion with the shop manager. Laura asked John if he knew Thomas. He answered that he was a surfer, a good guy, but that he didn't know anything else about the guy. Something smelled fishy. But patience is a virtue, thought Laura, and she put the subject on hold in the back of her mind. She would have Murph's report that night.

Bernice was in the outside patio of the hotel, a book in her hands, just trying to catch something interesting from the hotel's staff. Thomas Benson arrived then; looking worried, and went directly to the front desk. Once he was already there, a man probably about his age approached to him, and told him in a threatening voice, "You know you have to pay, Tommy. Your time is over. Don't try to disappear, or your father will pay the price." After that, the man left. Things were getting interesting, thought Bernice.

Mr. Steele ordered room service for breakfast. He wasn't ready to leave the room yet. Nothing had come to his mind about the lady's identity, since last night. He decided then that he should be in disguise for the rest of the week. It would be extremely dangerous for the case, to be trapped by that woman. Or by Laura, for a fact. At last, near lunchtime, he was ready to start the day.

Laura was returning from her exhausting surfing morning to change clothes and meet Bernice when she saw him. She couldn't believe her eyes. "What are you doing dressed like that?" she almost shouted in a forced whisper. "You are supposed to be a rich single businessman looking for fun. Not a member of the staff of the hotel vacuuming!" She was certainly annoyed.

"Shhh, Mrs. Holt. I have a slight issue with a certain lady…"

Laura cut him off. The volume of her voice was increasing dangerously, "What slight issue and what certain lady?"

"Well, perhaps you will be as surprised by my situation, as I am, but there is a lady outside the hotel who is sure she knows me…"

"And what is wrong with that? Your picture is in every newspaper from LA to China, so tell me why that could be a problem? And besides, you've dated almost every woman in the planet. We always find a new bimbo who seems to know you, everywhere we go, Mr. Steele".

"The lady called me PAUL." And with a gesture emphasizing his speech, he ended his statement. She was openmouthed. "This could not be happening," she said realizing her worst nightmares were getting real. He would get discovered, and with that, all her façade would go downhill, along with the agency. After a sight and a gesture of tiredness, she continued on her way to her room. "Why is that he's always attracting suspicious women and complicated situations?" she muttered to herself in a low voice.

They would have to change strategies; the last thing she wanted was somebody discovering that Remington Steele wasn't Remington Steele, but a charming conman known in Italy as Paul.

Once Bernice and Laura were already in their room, both of them started to share their news at the same time. Thomas Benson was at the beach, and he was threatened by a man in the lobby, and Mr. Steele was almost out of the case. He would not be able to do the work he was supposed to do, and he was hiding under a disguise without a chance of getting out of the hotel.

They made a call to Murphy and asked for some news in the backgrounds he was running. He told them that the boy was clean and that if he was in trouble, the authorities didn't know about it yet. He would handle his resources to find anything from the dark side. With that, Laura sat on a chair, and asked her friend and secretary, "Ok, Bernice. What now?"

"Now? Now we are going to the beach, to have a nice lunch, along with a nice drink, to clear out our minds; and after that, we'll to try to find out our own entertainments for tonight. Maybe in having a little fun, our research will turn a new corner…."

Laura sighed, and with a little disappointment, she stood up to get herself ready to go, just as Bernice suggested.

They went to the beach restaurant and sat at a table on the terrace. The waiter was taking their orders when Bernice noticed the woman. She was at a table near theirs, having a drink.

"There she is," Bernice told Laura in a whisper.

"Who is she?" asked Laura.

"The woman, Mr. Steele's issue, you know…"

"Ahhh, her." The woman looked like about forty years old, very chic, very his style. With an air of sophistication that draw an aura around her. She was alone, staring to the shore melancholically. She seemed to be waiting for somebody. Laura stared at the woman intensely. There was something in her face strangely familiar to her. That feeling… She then thought about herself, recognizing her future being still not ready to commit to someone, probably aware that this person wouldn't wait for her forever.

"We could ask some questions about her to the waiter, don't you think?" asked Bernice.

"No" Answered Laura. "Don't move the sand under her feet. If she knows Mr. Steele, she will probably be already on alert. We don´t need to ring unnecessary bells to catch her attention. With him far away from her claws, it will be enough."

But inside, she was not kidding herself. Laura knew that she didn't want to make any move to convince her she was not worried about Mr. Steele and that woman together.

In the meantime, Mr. Steele still disguised as a member of the hotel housekeeping staff; was taking his duties at the hotel seriously. He started vacuuming in the hall and made his way to the corridors. When he was ready to disconnect the appliance, he heard someone coming out from one of the suites. He turned in time to see Thomas Benson exiting from room 16. This was not Thomas Benson's room. He was not a guest at the hotel. Mr. Steele was on to something. Hiding himself behind the corner, he assaulted the young man when he walked past him, putting his arm on the boy's neck from his back.

"Hello, little Benson," Mr. Steele told him. "What were you doing in that room? If I am not mistaken, a couple is staying there, and they are at the beach right now. So, talk…"

Trying to survive over the shock, Thomas answered in a frightened voice, "Please, don't tell my father. He has nothing to do with this. It's my problem. I'll tell you, but don't tell my father…"

Mr. Steele let the boy free, who then started dropping information.

"Stan and I were drinking some beer at the beach a couple months ago, after a party. The sun was rising, and we thought that it would be cool to go surfing that morning during the sunrise. But my surfboard was at the shaper. Then Stan suggested borrowing some boards from the shop incognito. We could use them, and after a few waves leave them stacked in their places again. Nobody would discover us. We did that, went into the water, and started to surf. After a couple of waves, my surfboard broke. We lost one part that sank into the water, and the next day we had to confess our mischief to the shop's stock manager. When we told him that we were going to pay for the damage, he told us that we were in big trouble Two days later; the guy you saw today talking to me came to the hotel and asked me for a lot of money to cover the damage. I don't have that kind of money… So, I started to steal little things from the guest rooms, to pay my debt. But it seems that the surfboard was very expensive, because every day I pay, my debt is higher than the day before. I don't know what to do sir. Please don't tell my father. He'd die of embarrassment."

Steele heard the story, and with his special mercy for a young thief, answered, "It's ok. I'm not going to tell anybody. But you have to promise me two things. First, you are not going to steal anything again. And second, you are coming with me to repeat this story to my associate."

With that, they went directly to Laura's room.

Once Thomas finished telling his story to Laura, they sent him back to work, and after a few exchanges with Mr. Steele, Laura called Murphy, to deepen the investigation. There was something big behind all of this.

The night was relaxing for the girls: Dinner out, pleasant conversation, and a walk by Carmel streets under the moon. Somehow, it was not the same for Mr. Steele. He was locked in his room. Once the night came, that woman wouldn't have the chance to find him. So, around midnight, he decided to have a night out, and enjoy a stroll down the beach, alone. What a turn of events! He was the last one to be expected spending a night alone in a place like Carmel. Sure Laura and Bernice were having fun with their respective dates. He was immersed in the middle of his thoughts when something caught his attention. Two men were talking behind the bar, in a dark spot, and they were doing it in a not pleasant way.

He put himself into detective mode, and hide behind a bush. After a brief discussion, one of the men left. One of them was the man that Thomas described to him, he thought. The one he saw leaving the hotel. But the other one, he didn´t know who he was. And then something caught his attention. One of the men was wearing a bright watch on his wrist, an expensive one, he thought. He remained hidden; and waited until no one was left at the beach, Then he returned to the hotel. Laura would be positively surprised this time, with the kind of field work that he was capable of doing.

He knocked on the door twice, and after a while, Laura answered, with a sleepy face and her hair in a mess. After taking a look at Bernice, who was in a deep sleep, she told him that they will meet in half an hour in his room.

Just savoring his triumph, and in anticipation of Miss Holt's arrival, he had asked room service for some champagne and some chocolates. He was ready to share with his associate his deserved reward.

Laura knocked at the door just in time.

She got into the room, and then they started their chat, and after some minutes without him spreading any news, she asked, "Did you wake me at this time just to take me to your room, to sip a flute of champagne and seduce me, or do you have something significant to share?"

With a sigh, he put the flute on the table and told her the information he'd found. When he spoke about the man at the beach, and about the watch, Laura's eyes opened. "What kind of watch," she asked?

"I couldn't see it in detail, but certainly a very luxurious one."

"And how did you say he was dressed? I think we have a mess here. "

"What kind of mess?"

"Bernice's date was dressed like that tonight. I saw them coming to the hotel after dinner. Damn! This will be very disappointing with. Just today, when we were having lunch, she was speaking about the guy, and telling me that she was having a great time with him. And that she was starting to care about him… Poor Bernice"

"I need to sleep over this new information," Laura told him.

They approached to the door, and Mr. Steele grabbed Laura's hand. "Have a good night, Laura."

"You too, Mr. Steele."

They stood there hoping for the moment not to end when they heard a knock at the door. Again.

"Bloody hell..." said Steele, looking at the door slightly exasperated.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"Coming, coming!" he said. And when he opened the door, an exalted Thomas Benson almost fell into the room.

They helped him inside the room, closed the door, and started to calm him.

"Please, breathe," told him, Laura.

Once the boy was able to speak, he revealed the news. The man made him another visit at midnight and told him that he needed the rest of the money tomorrow, or Mr. Benson would pay for the rest of his debt. And that they knew that Remington Steele was staying at the hotel with two of his employees.

At that, Laura gave an annoying look to Mr. Steele, and he answered, almost immediately "Associate, Thomas, Miss Holt is my associate." Thomas told the rest of the story, and after a few minutes, he was getting calmer.

Things were starting to become more evident. Laura decided to make a call first thing in the morning. Murphy would have to investigate Bernice's target, and quickly. Only one day was left for Thomas. That undoubtedly meant that "something" was going to happen the following night.

Laura made her way back to her room, trying to figure how to break the news to Bernice, without hurting her too much with them. When she arrived, the light was on, and Bernice wasn't there. Laura waited for half an hour, and then made a call to Mr. Steele's room. At that point, she was anxious. He was there in a flash. They waited for the secretary to return without luck, until the dark turned into day, without any news from her yet.

They called Mr. Benson and arranged to meet him at his office. After telling him everything that had happened, they decided to call the agency. And after two hours, they had a callback.

Bernice's supposed inamorata was Frank Johnston: A very dangerous drug dealer, who had been watched by the FBI and the DEA for a long time now. There was supposed to be an operation this night, and they were on alert, not knowing yet where exactly it was supposed to be.

At this point, Mr. Steele jumped out of his chair… "Borderline. Fred Mac Murray, Claire Trevor, Raymond Burr, Universal, 1950. Customs agents are looking for information about Pete Ritchie, who is involved in smuggling drugs into the US. Police officer Madeleine Haley goes undercover through the operation. Haley is in constant danger as she attempts to figure out everything that is happening in the smuggling operation…"

"The surfboard wasn't the expensive thing," added Laura continuing his thought. "It's the best way to smuggle drugs through the coast, from town to town, without suspicion. Nobody would stop a car loaded with surfboards. It's very usual here." With a brief look to each other, they knew the next step to take. They would have to go to the Police Station. If Laura's suppositions were correct, the operation would be at night, at the beach, and the drugs would be hidden in the surfboards.

The day went between the Police Station and calls to Murphy from the hotel. Without any news about Bernice, Laura was distraught. What if something happened to her friend? Bernice wasn't used to field work. She had been very reckless, Laura thought to herself. Why bring Bernice to work into this case? Why? After a long time regretting her idea, she realized nothing would be fixed with worrying. She'd have to put all her senses at work, to discover where her friend could be. Reviewing their chit chats at night in their room could bring an answer, she thought. She started an exhaustive review. They spoke about the guy, Bernice told her he was from New York, and that he was an executive, and single, and…he owned a house just near the beach. That was it!

With a jump, she left her room and went looking for Mr. Steele. He was in the lobby speaking with a man that had the appearance to be an FBI or DEA agent.

She approached them, and Mr. Steele made the introductions. Lawson was in charge of the operation, and they were going to try to stop the delivery this night. Then he asked Laura if she had any information about Bernice that would help to find her. She told them about the house on the beach that her friend had mentioned. The DEA had known about it, but as Johnston was living elsewhere this time, they weren't paying much attention to that one. In a second, Agent Lawson was speaking on his walkie-talkie with another colleague, and he sent him to watch over the beach house.

The afternoon was ending, and all the details were falling into place.

Laura and Mr. Steele were locked in her room, just waiting. Laura couldn't wait for the operation to start. Several hours had gone by, and at this point, she was beginning to feel like in jail. Mr. Steele noticed her mood and decided to do something.

"Laura, "he told her, "I know how you are feeling. I have felt that way many times. When we were on a heist and some of my colleagues were outside, risking their necks to prepare the details for the job, and I was just waiting for my time to enter the scene and close the operation.

This time, you and I are not going to be part of the operation to rescue Bernice. We are leaving that to the trained professionals who know what to do to save her. Trust. That's it. We need to trust in them, the same way I trusted my partners, and just as you trust in your partner. Just as we trust in each other."

"Do you trust in me?" she asked.

"Of course I trust in you," he told her. And then he opened his arms, and she pulled herself tight into his arms, both hoping that the embrace would convince each other that with trust and faith, this night would be over and Bernice would be back.

She had her wrists tied, and duct tape on her mouth. Two big men had come into the hotel room she and Laura shared by the window when Laura was with Mr. Steele. Without giving her the opportunity to shout, the two men taped Bernice's mouth shut and tied her hands behind her back. One of them loaded her on his shoulders, and they ran away to the truck that was waiting outside. They went down the beach to the north and stopped in front of a house. A big building, with all the lights off. Another man was waiting there, and then he escorted her to the basement. Once there he tied her ankles to a chair, put the light off, and left her alone. After a couple of hours, when the sun was rising, one of the guys opened the door to tell her that the boss was coming, and warned her about doing something stupid. At that point, Bernice was really furious. What was happening here? Why was she kidnapped? Where was she? But all her fury disappeared when the door opened and in front of her was, Frank. "Oh my…" she thought. "It's him…"

"Hello Bernice," he said. And carrying a chair to sit in front of her, he sat down almost breathing on her face. "It seems that your vacation is over, pretty. I'd liked to get you to New York with me, but given the circumstances, I think I'll do the traveling alone." He kissed her on the cheek and left the room. Now she was really in a panic. If he was traveling alone, then for sure, she was going to be a left over. And leftovers always end in the garbage. Chills were running down her back. She hoped Laura would find the clues to rescue her. She wondered if Frank was thinking to empty the "trash" quickly, or if she would have some time. She was hoping to have the chance to wait for her partners.

They were sitting outside, on the patio trying to find a breeze, in the fresh air of the night. The room had felt stuffy, without enough air to breath. In the middle of a frightening silence, they heard a shot. A lot more followed the first one. Suddenly, the beach turned into light, and about thirty or forty men were running and fighting. In a moment, everything froze.

"We got them," said a voice on Agent Lawson's walkie-talkie. "Operation White Shark is over."

Lawson turned to Laura and Steele and said, "It's over. We caught him".

"What about Bernice?" Laura asked.

"She'll be here in a while. My agents rescued her some minutes ago. It was the first step. Once she was in our hands, we were able to proceed with the operation. She is alive and in perfect health."

Then they heard the sirens. Mr. Steele and Laura ran to the hotel's door. There were a lot of FBI and DEA agents, carrying surfboards, and stocking them in front of a truck. Frank and his henchmen were guided to the police cars, handcuffed to be transferred to the Police Station.

A caravan of police cars with their sirens sounding arrived to the hotel door. From the driver's seat of one of them descended John. Laura tried to hide her shock. She had never guessed… But her surprise was interrupted with another door opening. And there she was, Bernice, getting out in a hurry from the back seat, and running to her friends with her eyes full of tears. Miss Holt looked at John, and in complete silence mouthed "Thank you." He returned the gesture with another silent one.

Mr. Steele, who was watching from behind, added "Welcome back, Miss Wolf," he said, "The office would never be the same without you… Your coffee is the best." And then, with that wise affirmation, the tension was broken and they.

After their reunion, they decided to put an early end to the day. The previous night, sleep had avoided them, and after all the tension of the day, they were exhausted.

Just when Laura and Bernice were getting ready to go to bed, the secretary said,

"You know, Laura, I think I'll let my search lay down for a while. Maybe my knight in shining armor is waiting for the right moment to appear. I'll wait for a slightly dull filthy-rich husband. With no hurry. …I'll restart my search in two months, on vacation time."

Laura looked at her, and said, "Oh, come on Bernice! Just get some sleep and tomorrow it'll be a new day." Laura was sure that the selected waiting period that Bernice mentioned would never be surpassed with success.

"OK, Boss." And the light went off.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Miss Holt and Mr. Steele met at breakfast the following day. The much-needed sleep did wonders for them. They were talking and laughing like nothing ever happened. Another case was closed. Mr. Steele was having a continental breakfast, with all the delicacies the chef was able to make, and Laura was devouring her eggs Benedict, with such a pleasure. Mr. Benson invited them the meal, in gratitude for the caring treatment Mr. Steele had shown with his son. They agreed with Mr. Lawson, to not press charges. The boy had made a mistake, but thanks to his help, a very complex smuggling operation had ended successfully.

After a while, Bernice decided that she was ready to get out of the room. Under the excuse to let the detectives have breakfast alone, she had ordered room service and enjoyed her breakfast in bed. A luxury that the secretary was not usually able to give to herself. She was trying to put every ugly sensation in the past now. There was a weekend ahead, and a new Monday waiting on her schedule.

As Fred was putting their luggage in the trunk of the limo, he returned the gun to Bernice, who stored it quickly into her purse. While they were saying their goodbyes to the Bensons, out of the hotel, a female voice shouted from the bar across the street,

"Good Bye Paul! See you next year!"

"Come on Mr. Steele! Say goodbye to the lady!" said Laura, giving an ironic gaze to Mr. Steele.

He wasn't sure if she was speaking seriously or not. And then, when he turned his head, he saw a young man taking the lady's hand, and walking with her inside the bar. He shyly raised his hand and waved it. Then Laura approached her mouth to his ear and told him in a sad tone. "She is a poor lady who lost her lover when she was very young, and he took with him all her sanity. Every handsome dark haired man with blue eyes that puts his feet at the bar gets the same fate. She traps him and speaks to him as if she was speaking with her old lover. Poor woman…They can make a movie with that story in the future, you know, with a character like her, romantic, melancholic, waiting for a love that had been gone for years. Maybe one day…"

After she finished her explanation, Steele opened the door of the limo, and said, "Come on, Miss Holt. Let's go home." And once inside the limo, he told the chauffeur, "Home Fred, and take your time. We have wonderful sightseeing to enjoy."

When they were underway, Mr. Steele said, "You know Laura; this scenery reminds me of Seems like old Times, Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Charles Grodin, Columbia, 1980. A big part of the movie was shot around here. And I feel the plot is very familiar. Goldie Hawn played a very honest lawyer, always fighting for people in need, and Chevy Chase was her ex-husband, caught in a trivial situation, suspected of a robbery that he didn't commit. It finished with his favorite girl in his arms."

"But I am not your girl, Mr. Steele!" Said Laura, looking surprised at him. "And as I know, you weren't caught in any trivial situation in your old days."

"Oh, you are right Miss Holt, but you are forgetting something important. I did finish with my favorite girl in my arms, indeed."He finished his statement looking smiling at her.

"Enjoy the ride Mr. Steele…" she told him, trying to hide her own smile

This time Bernice was in the front seat, near Fred, and both detectives were in the back. On their way back, Steele saw the sign to the Hearst Castle again. But this time, instead of the suggestion of a detour there, to see a lot of treasures, he put his arm over Laura's shoulders and enjoyed the treasure of feeling her beside him.

"Indeed, Miss Holt, indeed…"


End file.
